BANGKOK --- The Philippines hopes to cap its campaign on a respectable note when it takes on Myanmar in its final group game in the Asean Football Championship here.

Two straight 4-0 losses against Malaysia and Thailand have pulled the Filipinos out of the title race and coach Aris Caslib yesterday said that his team will "do everything possible" to make a grand exit in this eight-nation tournament.

A semifinal berth is on the line for Myanmar, which drew its first two games, leaving them third at the table behind joint leaders Malaysia and Thailand. The Thais and Malays play at 7 p.m. at the Suphachalasai Stadium, simultaneous with the RP-Myanmar clash at the Army Stadium.

It has so far been a campaign to forget for the Philippines, which will miss influential skipper Aly Borromeo, who is out for the rest of the tournament due to an MCL sprain. But Caslib is optimistic of their chances against the Burmese side, which dealt them a 1-0 defeat in the previous Asean Championships in Kuala Lumpur. "We want to get our first win here. We just have to play really well and lessen our mistakes," Caslib said.

Negrenses Arnie Pasinabo, Archie Bayquin and Jan Michael Benedicto have yet to be fielded by Caslib, while Dumaguete-born Jerome Orcullo got playing time against Thailand where he came on as a substitute just like Ali Rojas-Go. Myanmar, which earned a "bad boy" reputation in the previous tournament, is expected to go for a convincing win to keep up with Thailand and Malaysia, which enjoy a four-goal difference because of their victories against the Philippines.

"We have a more disciplined team now," Myanmar coach U Sann Win, a former international, said. Fourteen yellow cards were dished out to Myanmar players and three were sent off during the last campaign when they reached the last four where they lost to Singapore after being reduced to eight men in the second leg.

"Lack of discipline is no longer a problem with our team. Discipline is now good, they try hard at this," Win, who took over the reins just six months ago, added. *CPT

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